Toms River: Upon completion of construction of the Thomas Mathis Bridge which connects NJ 37 with Toms River and Pelican Island/Seaside we noticed the speed limit has been lowered. Prior to construction the speed limit was posted as 50 MPH with a suggested speed of 40 MPH due to the narrow lanes. Recently there have been 40 MPH regulation speed limit signs posted at the base of the bridge, and on the bridge itself.

OCSN looked into this matter with the NJ DOT website, and it shows that NJ 37 still has a regulation speed limit of 50 MPH assigned for all 13 miles of the roadway.

So, what gives? Has the speed limit been lowered, or did the contractor make an error?

OCSN has reached out to the NJ DOT Central Region office for a comment. Nobody answered the phone, but we left a voicemail. We will update the story when (if) we get a call back.

Below is the order taken from the NJ DOT website for regulations of speed limits.

Traffic Regulations

Orders of the Commissioner of Transportation

 

Speed Limits for State Roads

Route NJ 37

(a) The rate of speed designated for the certain parts of State Highway Route NJ 37 described in this section are hereby established as the maximum legal rate of speed:
1. In Ocean County:
i. In the Borough of Lakehurst:
(1) For both directions of traffic:
(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between Route NJ 70 and the Lakehurst Borough-Manchester Township corporate line (approximate mileposts 0.00 to 0.35); thence
ii. In the Township of Manchester:
(1) For both directions of traffic:
(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the Lakehurst Borough-Manchester Township corporate line and the Manchester Township-Toms River Township corporate line (approximate mileposts 0.35 to 2.52); thence
iii. In the Township of Toms River (formerly Dover Township):
(1) For both directions of traffic:
(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the Manchester Township-Toms River Township corporate line and the Toms River Township-Island Heights Borough corporate line (Vaughn Avenue-Westend Avenue County Route 627) (approximate mileposts 2.52 to 9.35); thence
(B) Zone 2: 50 MPH between the Island Heights Borough-Toms River Township corporate line (Gilford Avenue) and the Toms River Township-Berkley Township corporate line (approximate mileposts 9.68 to 12.79); thence
(2) For the westbound direction of traffic:
(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the Toms River Township-Island Heights Borough corporate line (Vaughn Avenue-Westend Avenue County Route 627) and the Island Heights Borough-Toms River Township corporate line (Gilford Avenue) (approximate mileposts 9.35 to 9.68); thence
iv. In the Township of Island Heights:
(1) For the eastbound direction of traffic:
(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the Toms River Township-Island Heights Borough corporate line (Vaughn Avenue-Westend Avenue County Route 627) and Island Heights Borough-Toms River Township corporate line (Gilford Avenue) (approximate mileposts 9.35 to 9.68); thence
v. In the Township of Berkeley:
(1) For both directions of traffic:
(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the Toms River Township-Berkley Township corporate line and the westernmost Berkley Township-Seaside Heights Borough corporate line (approximate mileposts 12.79 to 13.26); thence
(B) Zone 2: 50 MPH between the easternmost Seaside Heights Borough-Berkley Township corporate line and Route NJ 35 (approximate mileposts 13.40 to 13.43); thence
vi. In the Borough of Seaside Heights:
(1) For both directions of traffic:
(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the westernmost Berkley Township-Seaside Heights Borough corporate line and the easternmost Seaside Heights Borough-Berkley Township corporate line (approximate mileposts 13.26 to 13.40).